Dundy County, Nebraska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Max and Parks
Dundy County is one of the places pushing back on the data center build-out. Dundy County is home to Benkelman. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “County moratorium on data centers”. Employers here counted 650 jobs in 2025, up 15.0% from 2019 (the 3rd fastest growth of 93 Nebraska counties). Unemployment was 2.0% in August 2026, against 2.8% in 2019. Southwest Public Power Dist is the largest utility serving Dundy County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 10.16¢/kWh in 2024, below the 10.86¢ median for Nebraska utilities.
Cities and towns in Dundy County
Dundy County is home to Benkelman.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Max, Parks.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Dundy County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 1,654 | 1,568 | ▼ 5.2% | 79th of 93 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 565 | 650 | ▲ 15.0% | 3rd of 93 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,491 | $51,348 | ▲ 23.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.8% | 2.0% | ▼ 0.8pts | — |
1,568 people live here, down 5.2% since 2020.
Who powers Dundy County
Utilities with service territory in Dundy County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Public Power Dist | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 2,186 | 10.16¢ | 23% |
| Highline Electric Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 752 | 14.15¢ | 11% |
| City of Benkelman - (NE) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Y-W Electric Assn Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | — | — | 0% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Dundy County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Dundy County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 650 | $51,348 | 1.00 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Dundy County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| County moratorium on data centers | In force | — |
Dundy County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Dundy County, Cheyenne County carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dundy County | 1,568 | ▲ 15.0% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Chase County | 3,718 | ▼ 5.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Cheyenne County KS | 2,604 | ▼ 1.6% | 9 MW | — | — | — |
| Hayes County | 821 | ▼ 9.1% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Hitchcock County | 2,467 | ▼ 0.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Rawlins County KS | 2,431 | ▲ 5.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Yuma County CO | 9,896 | ▼ 5.1% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
More of Nebraska
Dundy County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Dundy County, Nebraska?
4 utilities have service territory in Dundy County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Southwest Public Power Dist, Highline Electric Assn, City of Benkelman - (NE), Y-W Electric Assn Inc. The largest, Southwest Public Power Dist, charged residential customers 10.16¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Dundy County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Dundy County.
Is Dundy County adding jobs?
Employers counted 650 jobs in 2025 against 565 in 2019 (+15.0%, BLS QCEW).
Does Dundy County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Dundy County, 1 in force.